One of the movies I’ve been looking forward to is Superbad director Greg Mottola‘s Adventureland coming of age film based on his own experiences at the Long Island amusement park. Set in 1987, the film follows James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg), an uptight recent college grad forced to take a minimum wage job at an amusement park when he realizes he can’t afford his dream tour of Europe. Writer/director Greg Mottola – best known as the director of the hit comedy Superbad – channeled his own experiences as a low-paid amusement park employee while making the film.

Co-starring Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig and Martin Star. I hear it’s more of a damedy than a laugh-out-loud comedy (ie more Garden State than Superbad), and has the potential to be next year’s sleeper hit ala Little Miss Sunshine/Juno. The first trailer has just been released and the film looks like everything I thought it was going to be. Watch the trailer now, and please leave your comments below.

Ghostlife saw an early test screening in Boston, and had this to say about the film: “I thought it was excellent.” …”The acting and screenplay were great, but also thought the direction was fabulous. There was a slight ethereal quality to it that added a lot of atmosphere. The 80s aspect was also not overdone as I feared, it complimented everything just right. As it started I didnt know where it was going to go, it felt like it might be a directionless screwball comedy, but it turned out to be what I thought was a beautiful movie. Great character, acting, a tinge of weirdness. Unique stuff, well done!”

Watch the trailer now in High Defintiion on MySpace. Adventureland is now set for a Spring 2009 (possibly March 27th?) release.